BOBCATS BY THE NUMBERS: 51 Days Until Kickoff!
7/16/2021 2:45:00 PM | Football
A look at No. 51 in Bobcat football history...
Bobcats by the Numbers takes a look at current and past Bobcats whose jersey numbers correspond to the number of days remaining before Montana State opens the 2021 football season at Wyoming on September 4.
#51
Taylor Tuisasopo, OG: Taylor Tuiasosopo's emergence in 2017 as a productive starting guard became an important factor in Montana State's Big Sky-leading ground game. Tuiasosopo joined the starting lineup in game four and helped solidify that unit. Ever since then, the man who carries the surname of football royalty has provided stability and consistent excellence on an offensive line where he has been overshadowed by more experienced, established players. This year, with Lewis Kidd, Tuiasosopo is an unquestioned offensive line leader and a player the entire offense will lean on throughout the season.
Spotlight – Jeff Newton: Jeff Newton never said a lot outside the confines of the Bobcat football locker room, but on the field his presence was anything but quiet. A product of Bigfork, Newton earned Second Team All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America honors as a junior defensive tackle in 1991, and was First Team All-Big Sky as a senior. He registered 75 tackles, eight for a loss, with six sacks, as a junior that season. As a senior he led the Cats in tackles – again, as an interior defensive lineman, an amazing feat – and logged seven tackles-for-loss. He forced three fumbles and recovered seven during his Bobcat career.
Chronology: Joe Dobeus (1926), Everett Best (1927), Bud Gill (1937), Willie Baugh (1953), Hal Walker (1954-55), Darrell Hueth (1956), Phil Whitner (1957), Dan Costello (1958), Bob Cegelski (1959-62), Terry Albrecht (1963-65), Ray Biggs (1966-67), Gene Wasia (1968-69), Rick Urdahl (1970-71), Brooks Lanning (1973), Lee Washburn (1974), Jon Kienberger (1975-76), Jack Muhlbeier (1977-80), Tom Martin (1982), Jon Wanago (1984-88), Jeff Newton (1990-92), Mike Knoyle (1993), Jim Sykes (1996-97), Damien Stephens (1999), Blake Wolf (2000-01), Mike Weiss (2002-03), JD Sullivan (2004), Kyle Burch (2005), Pat Keefe (2006), Josiah Lusby (2007-2009), Michael Foster (2010-14), BJ Ojo (2015-16), Jackson McCleery (2017), Taylor Tuiasosopo (2018-)
Bonus Note for #51: Michael Foster was an exceptional special teams player who overcame injuries to become a solid linebacker for the Cats. He came to Bozeman from the Houston area, but as a youngster growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, he was a ball boy at Drake Bulldogs football games when his future MSU coach Rob Ash roamed the sidelines.
#51
Taylor Tuisasopo, OG: Taylor Tuiasosopo's emergence in 2017 as a productive starting guard became an important factor in Montana State's Big Sky-leading ground game. Tuiasosopo joined the starting lineup in game four and helped solidify that unit. Ever since then, the man who carries the surname of football royalty has provided stability and consistent excellence on an offensive line where he has been overshadowed by more experienced, established players. This year, with Lewis Kidd, Tuiasosopo is an unquestioned offensive line leader and a player the entire offense will lean on throughout the season.
Spotlight – Jeff Newton: Jeff Newton never said a lot outside the confines of the Bobcat football locker room, but on the field his presence was anything but quiet. A product of Bigfork, Newton earned Second Team All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America honors as a junior defensive tackle in 1991, and was First Team All-Big Sky as a senior. He registered 75 tackles, eight for a loss, with six sacks, as a junior that season. As a senior he led the Cats in tackles – again, as an interior defensive lineman, an amazing feat – and logged seven tackles-for-loss. He forced three fumbles and recovered seven during his Bobcat career.
Chronology: Joe Dobeus (1926), Everett Best (1927), Bud Gill (1937), Willie Baugh (1953), Hal Walker (1954-55), Darrell Hueth (1956), Phil Whitner (1957), Dan Costello (1958), Bob Cegelski (1959-62), Terry Albrecht (1963-65), Ray Biggs (1966-67), Gene Wasia (1968-69), Rick Urdahl (1970-71), Brooks Lanning (1973), Lee Washburn (1974), Jon Kienberger (1975-76), Jack Muhlbeier (1977-80), Tom Martin (1982), Jon Wanago (1984-88), Jeff Newton (1990-92), Mike Knoyle (1993), Jim Sykes (1996-97), Damien Stephens (1999), Blake Wolf (2000-01), Mike Weiss (2002-03), JD Sullivan (2004), Kyle Burch (2005), Pat Keefe (2006), Josiah Lusby (2007-2009), Michael Foster (2010-14), BJ Ojo (2015-16), Jackson McCleery (2017), Taylor Tuiasosopo (2018-)
Bonus Note for #51: Michael Foster was an exceptional special teams player who overcame injuries to become a solid linebacker for the Cats. He came to Bozeman from the Houston area, but as a youngster growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, he was a ball boy at Drake Bulldogs football games when his future MSU coach Rob Ash roamed the sidelines.
Players Mentioned
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